Hand bag



April 22,v 1930. J, N, LQWE 1,755,548v

HAND BAG Filed Aug. 23, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JosfP/f /K an/5 i l 57 v ATTORNEY I April 22, 1930.

.1- N. LOWE HAND BAG Filed Aug. 25. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. N. LOWE April 22, 1930.

HAND BAG Filed Aug. 23, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 hm.. MY.

, INVENTOR fosf/w A. on/E Patented Apr. 22, 1930 JOSEPH N. LOWE, oF NEW fYoRx, N. Y.

HAND BAG application :ned August 2a, 1927. serial No. 214,901.

This invention relates preferably to that,

type of hand bag which is known as the Boston bag. An object of the inventlon 1s to-provide a hand bag which may be folded flat into a small space, the bag when folded assuming a symmetrical compact form so that it may be neatly packed into another bag or a trunk, and when unfolded may be used as a small hand bag. When unfolded i, the bag may be filled to full size and, due to the manner in which it folds, the bag when unfolded and full or partly filled presents a neat and smooth and practically uncreased appearance, especially when made of a good quality of flexible leather or the like. While the improved hand bag is adapted to fold and unfold, its construction is such as to enable certain walls thereof to be fairly stiff, especially the end walls, although covered by cloth or leather. The improved hand 4bag is preferably so constructed that the handles may be folded Within the material of the bag and will not protrude as loose appendages. rlhe bag is preferably madefwithout previously formed creases to more readily enable folding, although such creases may be preformed in the bag.

Thefabove being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of cer- SU tain features of construction and'combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and then claimed with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodilment of the invention, in which, '35 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved hand bag, opened out for use Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the bag when folded fiat;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the bag through the mouth thereof;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 f

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section of the p upper portion of the bag according to Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a diagram indicating the general contour of the main parts of the bag when folded fiat;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse section through the seam of the bag which is shown in smaller transverse section in Fig. 3

Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse section through the seam at the point where a handle is attached main piece Fig. 10 is a view of the other side of thev main piece,

Fig. 9 is a view of the outer surface of the or blank for forming the bag;

to show the linings thereon;

Fig. 11 is a detail transverse section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 9

Fig. 12 is a plan of a strip of flexible material or blank for forming the ends and top of the bag, stiffening pieces therefor being shown alongside thereof;

Fi 13 is an enlarged view of one end of the exible strip of Fig. 12, showing how a stiffening piece may be combined therewith; Fig. 14 is an enlarged section on the line 14-14 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a detail of corner reinforcing means; and

Fig. 16 is an enlarged section online 16-V-16,

Fig. 15.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the improved folding hand bag is shown as comprising sides 1, a bottom 2, ends 3, and a top 4, so as to provide suitable and roperly proportioned walls for the body o the bag, and

which are material.

rincipally composed of flexible he top LLof' the bag has a mouth lportion to be fully described hereinafter, and

is provided with a pair of handles 5, 6, preferably of flexible material, one at each side of the mouth portion. The bag shown in Fig. 1 may be folded down flat, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the handles being first folded down, and theends and portions of the sides being folded down thereover, so that the handles are more or less enclosed within the material of the bag.

Preferably the bag when unfolded is of generally oblong rectangular shape with the sides converging towards the mouth of the bag, the same being provided with a pair of handles so thatthe type of bag known as the Boston bag is more or less simulated, and preferably when thev bag is folded down and flattened it Will be of octagonal shape, although the type of bag may of course be changed and the shape of the bag when folded and unfolded may also be changed.

Hookless fastening means 7 are preferably rovided for the mouth of the bag, the same Being operable by means 0f a slide 8 in Well known manner.

Before particularizing the novel features of the bag itself when complete, thepieces of flexible material from which the bag is preferably constructed will first be described. Referring to Figs. 9, 10 and 11, a blank or mam piece 9 of flexible material such as leather or imitation leather is provided for forming the sides 1. and the bottom 2 of the bag. To the inner surface of the main piece 9 a major lining 10 and a minor lining 11 are secured, these linings being preferably of light fabrics. The major lining 10 is of the same width as the main piece 9 and is approxlmately two thirds of the length thereof, while the minor lining 11 which is also ofthe same Width is about one third of the length` of the main piece 9, or a little more.

As indicated more clearly in Fig. 11, the two linings 10 and 11 and the main piece 9 are secured to a piping strip 12 by a line of stitches 13, so that in the combined piece the raw edges will be outward, while the bead of the piping will be inward. This is before the members 9, 10, 11 and 12 are incorporated in the bag itself. The major lining 10 is left free for a short length of its inner end so as to provide a fiap or free portion 14, and to thereby leave a gap or opening between it and the main piece 9. There is also secured to the inner side of the main piece 9 a stri of material in such way as to provide poc ets 15, 15, for the ultimate bag.

Before the bag is completed, stifi'ening means 16 are secured to the main lining 10, for the ultimate bottom of the bag. means are only shown in Figs. 3 and 4 but it will be understood that the stiienin means areapplied to the main lining 1 0 be ore the bag is completed. Preferably the stifl'ening means consists of a piece of cardboard or the like, the same bein secured to the lining 10 and the bag bottomgby means of rivets 17, 18, so that in the completed bag the rivets 17 will be at one side of the bottom of the bag and the rivets 18 at the other side. Also, be-

y fore the bag is completed the edge ofthe flap 14 is turned over the stiifening means 16 so as to be secured by the same rivets 18. It will be understood that the stiifening means 16 are inserted into the pocket between the maj or L lining 10 and the main piece 9 but that it does not extend the full len h of the lining, so that it will coincide su stantially with the babottom when the bag is completed.

veferring to Figs. 12, 13 and 14 there is shown a strip 19 of flexible material, such as leather or imitation leather, for forming the ends and top of the ultimate bag. To the inner surface of strip 19 there is secured a lining fabric 2O of suitble material by means of side lxigs ofr stitches 21, the ends being unstitched at this oint in the manufacture of the bag. As will)be seen from Fig. 12, the strip 19 and its lining 20 are formed at the ends into lobes 22. A slot 23 is formed longitudinally of the strip 19 and lining 20 for constituting the mouth of the ultimate bag, and the mouth is defined by tapes 24 for the hookless fastening means 7, such tapes being stitched to the ad] acent edges of the strip 19. The ends of the strip 19 and the lining 20 are left free so that the ends of the lining provide iaps 25. Small pieces 26 of lining fabric are secured at oneV edge to the edge of the strip 19 so as to lie underneath the free iiaps 25.

The method of making the improved hand bag from the described main piece 9, strip 19 and attached pieces will be clear to those skilled in the art when it is stated that the improved hand bag is made Wrong side out in the first instance. A suitable sewing machine is employed for stitching the strip 19 to the main piece 9 so that the attached pieces as Well will all be properly stitched together in seams such as shown in Figs. 7 and 14. The edges of the pieces are placed together wrong side out and brought between the sides of a binding strip 27 of flexible material and secured by a line of stitching 28, the edges of the strip 19 and the main piece 9 being gradually brought together by hand as the bag is being stitched, so that when the said edges With the binding are all stitched together a bag will be produced wrong side out, With the seam as shown in Fig. 14.

Preferably the bottom stifiening means are applied after the pieces of the side walls ofthe h baare stitched together. i uc eferring again to Figs. 12, 13 and 14, tapered stiifening means or card boards 29 are shown, the tapers thereof corresponding generally to the taper of the lobes 22 of the strip 19. One of these tapered stiifening boards is inserted in the pocket at each end of the strip 19, and each stiffening board is provided with a recess 30 in its smaller end so that when each p stifening board or piece is fully inserted between each end of the strip 19 and lining20, the recess 30 will coincide more or less with the ends of the slot 23, so that there will be stitfening for a certain distance at each end of the slot as Well as to the extremities of the strip 19 and lining 20. To complete the insertion of each stiffening board 29 its Wider end is tucked underneath the short piece of lining 26, and then the linings 20 and 26 tacked together at 31 so as to fully enclose .the stiiiening board as indicated in Fi 7, 1n which the bag is shown as having een turned. The described parts of the bag having been thus assembled and finally stitched together With the bag Wrong side out, the bag may now be turned right side out to the shape shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. It will be seen that the main piece 9 forms the bottom.

2 and the'sides 1 of the completed bag, and. that the' flexible strip 19 ultmate1y forms by means of lobes 22, the tapering ends 3.o

the bag and the top of the bag provided with hookless fastening means. The bottom stiffening board 16 is secured and riveted in place after the bag has been turned right side out.

Other desirable improvements relate to means for reinforcing the bag at the upper corners o f the ends and at the side corners of the top. Referring to Figs. 12, 13 and 14, the end stltfening boards 29 are provided with extensions 32, 33, preferably composed of stili lengths of fiber board these extensions being connected therewith by means of pivots 34. The extensions 32, 33 are located at both sides of the recess 30 in each stiffening means 29 and extending outwardly from the recess 30 or in the same dirction as the recess. It will be seen that when each stiifening Vmeans 29 is inserted between the flexible strip 19 of body material and the lining 20, the extensions 32, 33 are inserted first and when each stilfening means is pressed home the extensions 32, 33 will enter to both sides of the mouth of the bag. When the bag is completed the extensions 32, .33 will turn the end corners thereof, as indicated in dotted llnes in Fig. 1, so as to full out the said corners and keep them distended more or less agalnst inwardly creasing or foldlng. In some such manner the said corners are thus preferably kept smooth, and it is apparent that due to the movable connection of the extensions 32, 33 with the stiifening means 29 they will move so as to allow the opening or closing movement of the mouth portions of the bag where the latter extend around the said corners of the bag.

The handles 5, 6 of the bag are preferably attached thereto during the act of stitching the pieces of the bag together wrong side out, so that the ends of the handles will be stitched within the sea-ms which connect the pieces of the bag together. In this way the handles will be intimately incorporated with the bag and can be conveniently folded down so as to overlap each other before the ends of the bag are folded down, the handles being below the ends of the bag when the bag is folded, as is clear from Fig. 2.

If considerable weight is to be imposed on the bag, it is preferred to reinforce the top side corners of the bag in the region of the handles', 6. Preferably such reinforcement is accomplished by means indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3 and shown in detail inFigs. 8, 15 and 16. A piece 35 of flexible fabric is folded longitudinally and within it is placed a reinforcing strip .36 of card or fiber board, the free side edges of the piece of fabric beingl preferably then stitched together, and thereafter the ends of the said fa ric being turned over and thestrip 36 closed within the fabric by lines of stitching 37. The strip'3t3 is sulliciently narrower than the folded piece of fabric 35 as to leave a side i length of the fabric unstiffened, to enable it to be stitched into the structure of the bag.

There are ytwo of the strips 36, thus enclosed by fabric, incorporated with the bag, and the unstilfened side portions of the pieces of fabric 35 are stitched and secured within the top side corners of' the bag when the seams are then completed by the lines ofV stitching'- 28, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. These stilfening strips 36 are thus secured in the same seams in which the handles 5, 6 are secured, so that they are in the region of the handles and s/ofthat, when the bag 1s turned right side out, the said stifening strips 36 will lie within and along the corners of the bag just outside the points of attachment of the handles.

These stilfening strips 36 distribute the which is of Very light welght considering the according to the present durability and inherent strength of the bag.

It is obvious that the invention is susceptible of more or less modification, as parts may be omitted, added and substituted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is':

1. A hand bag, comprising flexible. ends and mouth'portions, the mouth portions being presented edgewise towards each other, and extending from below the top of the bag and along the top, sides secured to the outer edges of the mouth portions forming the top of the bag, and the mouth portions defining a mouth for the bag, and stifening means substantially coextensive with the area of the ends and having recesses coinciding with the terminals of the mouth.

2. A hand bag, comprising flexible ends having linings, mouth portions extending' from below the top of the bag and along the top, sides secured to the mouth portions, the mouth portions defining a mouth for the bag. and stiffening boards for the ends having recesses coinciding with the terminals of the .mouth, the boards being inserted between the linings and the ends.

3. As an article ofA manufacture for hand bags, a strip of flexible material for forming the ends and top of a bag, and a lining secured to the edges of the strip, thestrip and lining being longitudinally slotted to form a bag'- mouth, and the outer ends of the linin being free from the strip to provide gaps through los - openable and vclosable mouth extending from l end to end, and corner fulling extensions from which stiiening means .may be inserted to lie between the strip and lining.VV

4. As an article of manufacture for hand bags, a stri of flexible material for ormin the ends an top of a bag, and a'liningsecur to the edges of the strip, the stri and lining being longitudinally slotted to orm a baginouth, and the outer ends of the'lining being freefrom the strip to provide gaps through which stiiening means may be lnserted to lie between theV stri and lining, the strip having lobes extendlng from the region of the terminals of its slot.

5. A hand bag, comprising stifl'ened ends which are foldable inwardly toward the bottom of the bag, and sides which are oldable from the bot-tom outwardly, the ends foldable over the sides, the bag having a top with an the stiifening of the ends and located in the corners between the ends and top.

6. A hand bag comprising a body of Hexible material, stiiening means for the ends of the bag, and extensions from the stiffening means, turning the end corners of the bag and adapted to full out and sustain such corners when the bag is in using condition.

7. A hand bag, comprising a body of ilexible material, stiifening means for the ends of' the bag, the bag having a mouth extending from end to end, and extensions'from the stiifening means, turning the end corners of the bag and adapted to full out and sustain such corners when the bag is in using condition, said extensions being disposed at opposite sides of the ends of the mouth.

8. A hand bag, comprising a body of flexible material having substantially flat and parallel top and bottom portions, and provided With seams Where the top and side portions meet, and a pair of opposite loops to form handles, one of each being secured in each seam. y

9. A hand bag, comprising a body of ilexible material, having substantially flat and parallel top and bottom portions, 'and provided With seams Wherethe top 4and side portions meet, the top portion of the bag having an openable and closable mouth extending' substantially midway between and parallel with the seams, and loop shaped handle members secured in the seams, and reinforcing strips secured in the said seams at points directly adjacent the handles, such strips being l parallel with the seams.

JOSEPH N. LOWE. 

